President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Wednesday ordered to the reassignment of powers and responsibilities to be taken on by City Councils.
The President's Office revealed that while the President’s order follows on the consensus of his cabinet of ministers in early December, it is a part of his agenda for his first 100-days in office.
Among the responsibilities tasked to city councils are, leasing, investing or taking ownership of investments made on plots of land, reefs and lagoons of the city for the socioeconomic benefit of the community. According to the order, the city council will also be tasked with managing registries of citizens and non-citizens residing in the city as well as maintaining registries of foreigners residing in the city.
City Councils will also be tasked with gathering and maintaining statistical records as per the instructions of relevant authorities, and managing the birth and death registries of the city.
President Solih also ordered to assign the administering of a safe waste disposal mechanism to the city councils and lastly to temporarily or permanently open or close parks, public spaces or even roads of the city.
President Solih’s cabinet made the decision to restore the powers and responsibilities of councils on the 4th of December, in accordance with the Decentralization Act, to transfer powers and responsibilities to the city councils, which was previously taken over by relevant ministries after predecessor Abdulla Yameen’s government restricted the powers and responsibilities of city councils during his term.
